Fertilizer distributor



Feb. 17, 1948. I

C. H. WHITE FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTOR 2 sheets-Sheet 1 5 ll 2 3 I47 -fl-|03 I 54 /!52 g L 135 I66 '65 I02 I '36 m2 3 Bl l7 FIG. 3

3 INVENTOR. CHARLES H. WHITE Feb. 17, 1948. c. H. WHITE FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTOR Original Filed Jan. 31, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. CHARLES H. WHITE Patented Feb. 17, 1948 I Charles H.

'& Company; Moline, Ill.-,

Illinois White, Moline, Ill., assignor" Deere a corporation" if Originalapplication Jaii'tiary 31, 1941, Serial No 376,751. Divided and t 1, 1944-; Serial 524,837

a 10 Claims. (01. 11167) This application is a application, Serial No; 376;751, filed January 31, 194i, '(issued as Patent No. 2,369,508; Feb. 19.45). e e p p The present invention reiatesgener-allyto agricultural machines andparticul'arly to distribut ing-mejchanismespeci'aiiy' adapted to serve as an attachment "for disiilflbilfilli fertilizer during planting of seed or when side dressing m'w crops.

' The object and general nature of the present invention may be said to liein the pro'vision-ofa fertilizer hopper bottomring" and base construe! tiorr in whichis incorporated a newand improved spout so constructed that. raising the fertilizer furrow opener when the fertilizer tube is filled or substantially filled 'Witliiertilizer. willnot cause damage to any ofthe parts;

These andother' objects and advantages of the present invention will be-apparentto those skilledv in the art after a consideration of the following" detailed description, taken in conjunctionwith, the accompanying drawings.

In th drawings: y e

' Figure 1 is a fragmentary-view showing afertilizer' attachment secured in place on a planter.-

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of Figure-4'. v

Figure 3 is a view taken generally along the line33ofFlgure4. Q

Figure 41s a fragmentary pian viewoithe spout construction and the fertilizer hopper bottomon which it-is carried. p Figures- 5 and 6 are-side and rear views of the spout construct-ion when the parts thereof are-- separated, as by Ioweringthe tools whemthe ie-rti'lize'r tube is filled with-fertilizer. e

Referring now more psrtm iany 'to' Figures 1 and 2-, the reference numeral l indicates ahopp'er for fertilizer and" the like, forming apart of an agricuitural'rriachine, such as a planter P: The hopper i is" supported on a base 2 and the latter in turn-is carriedup'ori a suitable bracket 3fixed tothe planter-framed: The-hopper l includesa; fertilizer can Eto'the lower more: which: a l-10p per bottom ring 6 is fixed in any suitable manner. The hopper base- Tobrnprises a nat mem her and includes a' centraiopening: HUI-through which the bearing sleeve sectiorr lii'cf 'the'bracket" 3- extends; shouldered portions flare-formed on: thebearing se'ctionii 101 on the bracket 3 soias: .to'receive various kinds" ofhopperbase's; desired". The basezzaisoainchides a .spoutis'e'ction l5, on opposite sides of which aperturedlugs IB- areidi'sppsed; and. adjacent the lugs t6. are abutmerit" flange; sections: it]; j on: which. the hoppe'n division of my co-pendmg' his application Match :2 bottom ring 5 is mounted, more clearly dis closed in the parent" ase; identified above.

A pair of anchoring bolts is are disposed, re-' spectively, in thelug's l6; and-each bolt has a pair of lock nuts 21 thereon; "one'above and one below the ass"ociatetiiug' it. On the side of the hopper basezoppositethe'l igs Wand flanges I1, is an apertured'lug'fl in whicha bolt 26 is swiveled. The latter carries a-"win'g' nut 21. The

hopperbottom ringfi carries a pair'of lugs 28 and 29, each of whiclris provided" with a slot 30', the open end of which faces rearwardly or to-' ward the spout "section oithe hopperbase At the other side of the hopper-steam; ring- 6 the latter carries a lug 3|- which is-"provided with a slot 3'2, the open end of-whie faces-forwardly and in a position to receive the swivel 'bolt 26 which is carried by the hopper base; The-'latteralso carries an abutmentfiangesectioniiwhich the lower surface of the forward mg 3I-onthe hopper v bottom ring 6 engages;

Held up against the lower edged the hopper bottom ring 6 is a 'fferti uterre tr plate Mlcomprising a circularse'ctibri] and acbhical central section 42. A cap-ineinber 5llfis s'ecured to the upper end of the conlcQiIsecticirQZ-and is heldin place by a bolt S lwhitih-extends'downwardly through aligned opemhgs'r'ormee m bosses or the like carried by the cap SO -ai'id the feed plate 40. Thus, in eifectgthe-cap' member forms a. part of the plate l'l larid closes the otherwise open central section ther'eoil' "The bolt 54 also serves to secure a cap 50.

The fertilizer ried iste M1 he the-spring wire agitator are driven by suitable "mechanism which connects with thecap nieinber 50 that carries the spring wire agitat on and the driving mechanism includes" means-reg resiliently hold- 'ing the feed piste lli up ajgainst'the lower edge of the hopper bottoni' ring fi' andthe lower edge of an associated adjustabi' 'fe gat-e 'M'Whlch' is pivoted at" vets an apeitsree' lug' on the I hopper bot't'om ring 6, the} eraser flange-section 12 0f the hopper ring 6 being? interrupted at 13 to form a feed openin' i'i'iwhichthe'gate mem-' ber 14 is disposed, abe'st in Figure 4. The gate 14 is formed with an outwardly di's posed fiange or arrii "l9 to whicliyonejendlof an adjusting member ,82 "is pivotaily'z connected. The

other end of the member '82-'13 screw-threaded and passes through-fan openini'tifa liig 83? which is formed as an extension of tne iugazaz- A pair spring wire agitator 60' to the 7 3 as means for shifting the gate in one direction or the other and for holding the gate in any position of adjustment.

The driving mechanism for the plate 40 is indicated at IIlI and includes a bolt I -2 and bushing I03 serving as -a driving shaft to thelower end of which a gear I 04 is fixed. The latter is rotated by a pinion (not shown) carried on the 4 over the intermediate portions of the U-shaped link members I II so as to hold them in the block I45. To this end, the latter is provided with a pair of lugs I6I spaced apart to receive the strap I58 therebetween, thus preventing the latter from getting out of position. When the nut I62 on the bolt I54 is tightened, it will be seen that the block I45 is firmly fixed to the spout section I36 so as to form, in effect, a part thereof, and at the same time the strap I58 holds the U-shaped links MI in position so that the spout section I36 'is swingably-connected to the hopper base 2.

up against the lower edge of thehopper bottom ring 6 and the lower edge of the gate I4. When the apparatus is driven, the pressure plate 46 and the spring agitator 66 are rotated in a direction to cause the fertilizer to be'forced outwardly through the opening I3 and past the gate 14 into the spout section I of the base 2.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the spoutconstruction which will now be describedflfhespout construction, which is indicatedin its entirety by the reference numeral I30 and which-includes the spout section I5 as a part thereof, comprises two separable parts one of. which is movable upwardly relative to the other part and said one partcarrying the fertilizer feedtube so that breakage of parts is not likely to occur if the furrow openers should be raised with hardened fertilizer-in the tube, which sometimes occursif the fertilizer is not cleaned out at the end of the day and left over night. The spout section I5 is-formed integrally with the base 2 and-isessentially a semi-cylindrical part with the -open portion facing rearwardly. The semi-cylindrical section I5 is provided with a pair'of vertical-ribs. I3-I and I32 (Figure 4) merging into and joining a rib I33 (Figure 2) which is disposed in a downwardly angled plane. The latter rib-section I33 overhangs a semi-cylindrical socket I34 into which the lower portion I35 of a companion spout section I36 is adapted to bereceived, as best shown-in Figure 2,

The upper edgeof thesection I35 is disposed ina plane inclined downwardlyrand is adapted to fit snugly underneath the rib I33. The remaining upper portion of the spout section I36 is also generally semi-cylindrical with vertical edges I38 adapted to embrace the vertical ribs I3I and I32 formed Qnthe spout section I5. The two spout sections I5 and I36 are normally held together in operating position by a pair of links I II which are preferably identical in construction. Each link consists generally of a U-shaped part having laterally; .-inturnedends 43 rockably mounted in openings I44 formed in the spout section adjacent the plane of the anchoring bolts A pivot block I45'is adapted to be secured to the rear portion-of the spout section l36, andto this end is formed with ran opening I I'I at its upper end and a-pairof flanking lugs I48 each of which is provided witha V-shaped notch I43. The notches "|49 are adaptedto engage companion'knife-edges- -I5I which are disposed on opposite sides of an-apertured boss I 52- formed on th -lower portionof the spout section I36. The-aperture I53 in the boss I52 is square and is-ada-pted to receive the head of a bolt I54 that extends outwardly 'to receive" the opening I6! in the block I45. The latter member is'provided with a pair of transverse grooves I56 that receive the'central portions --I4Ia of the U-shaped links I II, A strap I58 apertured at its upper end to receive the outer-end of the bolt I54, is disposed -The openings I44 in the base, in which the laterally inturned ends I43 of the U-shaped links I are disposed, are placed above the grooves I56 in which the links I4I are pivotally connected with the spout section I36. Figure 2 shows the parts in operating position, in which it will be noted that the links I4 I angle downwardly and rearwardly in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of the rib I33 and the upper edge of the spout portion I35.

The spout section I36 is provided with a pair of L-shaped recesses I66 by which a fertilizer tube I61 may be releasably connected by pins I65, as is common practice. The lower end-of the fertilizer tube I61 discharges fertilizer into a furrow opener I68 of conventional construction, and the furrow opener I68 is adapted to be raised and lowered into and-outof transport'and operating position by suitable mechanism of any desired construction, represented by a lifting chain I63. From Figure 1 it can be seen thatif fertilizer is left in the tube I61 over night and hardens therein, while at the same time the furrow opener I66 is left in its lowered position, the subsequent actuation of thelifting means I69 and the resulting upward movement of the furrow opener I68 would not be affected by the fact that the fertilizer has hardened in the tube I61 pre-- venting the latter from flexing as is normal;.

restore the parts to operating condition. Thus;

with the fertilizer furrow opener I63 raised, the

loosening of the fertilizer-in the tube I6'I will im-- mediately permit the weight of the spout sec tion I36 to swing the same downwardly from its dotted line position to its full line position, whereupon the unit is ready for operation.

While I have shown and described above the preferred structure in which the principles of the present invention have beenincorporated, it is to-be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the particular details shown and de scribed-above, but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention,

-:What I claim, therefore, and desire to. secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an agricultural implement having a furrow opener and lifting means therefor, the combination with a fertilizer distributing mechanism including a base and a flexible fertilizer tube extending downwardly to said furrow opener. of a spout construction carried by 'said base for delivering fertilizer from said mechanism to said tube,

comprising separable parts, said tube being connected with one part, and means whereby said one part is connected with the other part so as to be movable generally vertically and laterally away from the other part by generally upwardly directed force exerted thereon through said tube so that if, when said lifting means is actuated, said tube does not flex, said one part moves away from the other to accommodate said tube being lifted bodily with said furrow opener.

2. In a fertilzer distributor, a base having a first spout section, a second spout section movable into and out of cooperative registration therewith, and a pair of generally downwardly and outwardly extending parallel links connected at the upper ends with said first spout section and at the lower ends with said second spout section so as to cause the latter to swing outwardly and upwardly away from said first spout section when an upwardly directed force is applied to the second spout section.

3. In a fertilizer distributor, a hopper base, a fertilizer discharge spout comprising two relatively movable sections, and means comprising a generally downwardly and outwardly extending link pivotally connected at its ends to said spout sections, respectively, for normally connecting said sections but providing for movement of one section relative to the other to separate them upon the application of upwardly directed force thereto.

4. Fertilizer distributing mechanism including a base, a spout construction carried by said base, and a normally flexible tube for receiving fertilizer from said spout construction, the latter comprising separable parts, one of said parts having an outwardly and downwardly facing opening and the other having an upwardly and inwardly facin opening adapted to fit against said first opening, and means connecting said spout parts so that said other spout part can move upwardly and away from said one, spout part under the application of an upwardly directed force whereby, if the lower end of the tube is raised but the tube does not flex, said one part moves away from the other to accommodate said tube being lifted.

5. In a fertilizer distributor, a base having a first spout section, a second spout section movable into and out of cooperative registration therewith, and a pair of swingable link means connecting said sections.

6. In a fertilizer distributor, a hopper base, a fertilizer discharge spout comprising two re1atively movable sections, and a pair of approximately parallel link means normally connecting said sections, said link means being disposed in downwardly and outwardly extending positions to dispose one section lower than the other and to provide for upward and outward movement of said one section relative to the other upon the application of upwardly directed force thereto.

7. In a fertilizer distributor, a hopper base, a fertilizer discharge spout comprising a downwardly and outwardly facing socket section fixed to said base, an upwardly and inwardly facing lower spout section having a portion cooperating with said downwardly and outwardly facing socket section to receive fertilizer from said base, and means connecting said lower spout section Number with said base so that the lower spout section moves upwardly away from the socket section upon the application of upward pressure to said lower spout section.

8. In a fertilizer distributor, a first spout section, a second spout section adapted to be moved toward the first spout section, said spout sections having mutually engaging portions disposed in a plane that extends generally upwardly and outwardly away from the fertilizer distributor, and link means extending generally perpendicularly to said plane for causing the second spout section to be moved away from the first spout section when the second section is moved upwardly relative to the first spout section.

9. A hopper construction comprising a base having a flange interrupted at one part to form a discharge opening and an integral downwardly extending section which serves as part of a spout, said section having socket means in the lower part, means for directing material through said discharge opening, a second spout section having a lower part adapted to seat in said socket, means to receive the material discharged through said opening, and link means pivotally connected with said second spout section and extending generally upwardly therefrom at an angle and pivotally connected with said downwardly extending section so that said second spout section is free to swing upwardly and outwardly away from said socket means,

10. In an agricultural implement having a furrow opener, lifting means therefor, a fertilizer distributing mechanism including a base and a flexible fertilizer tube extending downwardly to said furrow opener, the combination therewith of a spout construction carried by said base for delivering fertilizer from said mechanism to said tube, comprising separable parts, said tube being connected with one part, and means whereby said one part is connected with said other part so as to be swingable generally vertically and laterally away from the other part so that if, when said lifting means is actuated,,said tube does not flex, said one part moves away from the other to accommodate said tube being lifted bodily with said furrow opener.

CHARLES H. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Mar. 8, 1916 Number 

